Gagliardi begins by sketching her idea, photographing it and then tracing it on her computer, using “the magic of the filters.” She then prints it out the paintings and then applies layers of paint, improving what the printing can’t do: “It’s almost like adding the last layer, that is a physical one. First of all, because I like the idea that it starts with my hand – with the drawing – and it also ends with the hand.”

Because she is constantly fed with visual impressions through her work, she prefers to work and live in very minimalistic surroundings: “Even though the surroundings are extremely minimal, what is actually on my computer are thousands and thousands of images and a connection to different websites… an infinite source of material that’s on the computer.”

The young artist describes her artistic universe as “moments of reflection” where you’re alone. The characters in her pictures never interact, but are rather attached to electronic devices – devices which Gagliardi feels give us the artificial feeling of not being alone and make us forget the actual surroundings: “It’s almost like this little bubble between you and the outside world.”

Louisa Gagliardi (b. 1990) is a Swiss artist, who creates portraits with technology-inspired surrealism. Gagliardi paints on the computer, prints out the paintings and then applies several layers of materiality to them. She has exhibited at a number of galleries and institutions including White Squat Gallery in Zürich and Tomorrow in New York. Her awards include the 2016 Pullman X Wallpaper’ Prize (2014) and the 2014 Swiss Design Award. Gagliardi is based in Zürich, Switzerland. For more see: http://louisagagliardi.com/

Louisa Gagliardi was interviewed by Marc-Christoph Wagner at her apartment and studio in Zürich in September 2017.

Camera: Klaus Elmer
Edited by: Klaus Elmer
Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2017

Supported by Nordea-fonden